What Armistead Maupin did for San Francisco, Detour columnist Dennis Hensley does double for Los Angeles in a tale of a struggling screenwriter, his circle of urbane celebrity-seeking friends, and their madcap attempts to make it in the biz.
"(213)?" you may ask. 
Well, the area code, of course.
"Misadventures?"
Just the usual crazy high jinks underemployed Tinseltown wannabes usually get up to. Like making off with fish from Tina Louise's koi pond. Or calling Leeza Gibbons via Airfone to ask who does her headshots. Or harassing Alicia Silverstone with tales of watermelon-loving porn stars. Or auctioning off Andrew Shue's chicken wing and Heather Locklear's lip print for charity. You know.
And the wannabes themselves? Well, there's Craig, the aforementioned struggling screenwriter. And Dandy Rio, his best friend and star of her own hit sitcom, That's Just Dandy. Miles, their superpublicist friend, and Ulysses, a noble but unsuccessful musician from Craig and Dandy's college days. Oh, and a whole slew of love slaves.
Packed with Hollywood life lessons and more B-level celebs than you can shake a casting sheet at, Misadventures in the (213) is a brilliantly witty romp through the L.A. entertainment machine. And just wait till you come out the other end.Because, of course, money, fame, and glamour aren't everything.

Misadventures in the (213)

Hensley, Dennis

Children's Books

William Morrow

What Tales of the City did for San Francisco, Misadventures in the (213) does double for L.A. in this audacious, satirical tale of a struggling screenwriter, his media-whore best friend, and their circle of celebrity-seeking pals.
"(213)?" you'll likely ask. Well, the area code, of course.
"Misadventures?" Just the high jinks underemployed Tinseltown wannabes are usually up to. Like making off with fish from Tina Louise's koi pond. Or harassing Alicia Silverstone with tales of watermelon-loving porn stars. Or auctioning off Andrew Shue's chicken wing and Heather Locklear's lip print for charity. You know. 
Packed with Hollywood life lessons and more B-level celebs than you can shake a casting sheet at, Misadventures in the (213) is a brilliantly witty dagger straight through the heart of the L.A. entertainment machine.

Literature & Fiction

United States

Harper-perennial

Freelancer: A Writer's Guide to Success

Field, Stanley

Poetica Pr

Fresh and funny look at some of our favorite movies from Dennis Hensley, has been getting together for years with a group of friends to watch and crack wise about films that for reasons both good and bad have made an impression on film and society

Screening Party

Humor & Entertainment

Humor

Fluid Words

Mare's still P.O.-ed at Rob in the next scene, in which the gang shows up at St. Elmo's on Halloween night sporting Groucho Marx-style nose glasses. "This is the one night a year where Judd Nelson feels normal," says Tony. In this scene, Rob's sax-synching is so powerhouse that Demi, who's newly crimped hair makes her look like an albino Pointer Sister, is compelled to dry hump the jukebox. "I'm obsessed with this moment coming up," says Marcus, "where Rob starts clapping and says, 'Let's rock!' I think he looks so awkward." Just then, his wife traipses in looking like Pat Benatar from the "Love Is a Battlefield" video. When Rob notices she's with another man, all hell breaks loose. "Get your hands off of my wife!" threatens Rob. "With narcissists," explains Dr. Beaverman, "everything belongs to them. They see everything as an extension of themselves. They are not independent objects." Dr. B takes a swig of Snapple and adds, ". . . .unlike whatever Demi's got stuffed into her bra which seems to have a mind of its own." "And check out that metallic lip gloss," says Tony. "It looks like she just went down on C3PO in the bathroom."-Screening Party on St. Elmo's Fire
It started as a series of articles for the British version of Premiere, and Instinct Magazine, but soon took on a life of it's own. Dennis Hensley, author of the bestseller Misadventures in the (213), has been getting together with 5 friends to watch and debate, rant, criticize, and reminisce about films that are both recognized classics and guilty pleasures. Partway through this deconstruction of memorable cinema, you will encounter this musing on Armageddon: "'What girl would make out with her boyfriend in front of her dad?' wonders Tony, as Liv straddles Ben and sucks his face off while Willis and company look on. 'She mounted him in a sundress in front of her dad.'" If you're tired of plodding through earnest studies of film's impact on society, these words alone should convince you that this book is anything but.
Dennis Hensley is a Los Angelesbased journalist whose writing has appeared in Movieline, Premiere, The Advocate, and other publications. He is the author of the n

Alyson Books

Publishing Mills

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Hensley, Dennis. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Hensley, Dennis